LT367-6-AU-CO:
Understanding and Writing Science Fiction
2025/26
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Thursday 02 October 2025
Friday 12 December 2025
15
27 August 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
This module provides a historical overview of science-fiction: how it develops as a genre, and the key animating themes. Within this overview, the students will write their own science fiction stories and these will be the focus of the assessment.
Over the course of this module, the students will produce two short stories for assessment, with accompanying commentary. Each submission has a total word count of between 2500-3000 words.
Prior to submission for assessment, stories will be developed and workshopped in class, both in terms of helping students develop their writing and rewriting skills and in terms of how the stories relate to the science-fiction genre.
The first half of each seminar explores a primary science fiction text supplemented by secondary texts from film and digital culture. Students will prepare for this part of the seminar by doing the set reading so that they can contribute meaningfully to the discussion. The second half of each seminar is given over to fiction workshops in which the students devise and write science fiction short stories and complete world-building exercises.
The aims of this module are:
- To increase student awareness of the creative possibilities of science fiction.
- To continue the practice of giving, receiving and redrafting work in response to feedback in the workshop environment.
- To increase the understanding of the history of the science fiction, how the genre developed in terms of its own dynamic and that of wider historical trends, and how it can inform their own creative practice.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Analyse the significant conventions in science fiction and understanding how they have changed historically.
- Conceive, plan and write short stories that demonstrate an original response to the genre of science fiction.
- Display a good self-awareness of writing techniques and demonstrate the capacity to improve fictional style and structure through substantial revision and redrafting.
- Demonstrate the emotional and artistic intelligence required to give critical and supportive feedback to peers.
- Demonstrate the capacity to practice the habits and discipline of prose composition to a high standard.
No additional information available.
The module will be delivered via:
- A combination of seminar discussion, practical work and intensive story workshopping is used in combination with various online activities.
Students are expected to complete the reading for each seminar and to prepare discussion content in advance.
Coursework: students will select two of their assigned pieces of creative writing and submit new drafts that have been rewritten in the light of workshopping and discussion.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Coursework |
Story and Commentary 1 |
|
47.5% |
Coursework |
Story and Commentary 2 |
|
47.5% |
Practical |
Participation |
|
5% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Mr Matthew De Abaitua, email: mjdeab@essex.ac.uk.
Yes
No
Yes
Dr Eleanor Perry
University of Kent
Lecturer in Creative Writing (Poetry)
Available via Moodle
Of 2 hours, 2 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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